2001 US National Responses Sadness and Suicide Ideation and Attempts « Survey Intro and Options

Overall, female students (34.5%) were significantly more likely than male students (21.6%) to have felt sad or hopeless almost every day for >2 weeks. This significant sex difference was identified for all the racial/ethnic and grade subpopulations.

Overall, Hispanic students (34%) were significantly more likely than black and white students (28.8% and 26.5%, respectively) to have felt sad or hopeless almost every day for >2 weeks. Hispanic female students (42.3%) were significantly more likely than white female students (32.3%) and Hispanic male students (25.4%) were significantly more likely than white male students (20.5%) to report this behavior. Prevalence of feeling sad or hopeless ranged from 20.5% to 30.7% (median: 27.2%) across state surveys and from 24.2% to 35.3% (median: 31.1%) across local surveys.

During the 12 months preceding the survey, 19% of students had seriously considered attempting suicide. Female students (23.6%) were significantly more likely than male students (14.2%) to have considered attempting suicide. This significant sex difference was identified for all the racial/ethnic subpopulations and students in grades 9, 10, and 11.

Overall, white and Hispanic students (19.7% and 19.4%, respectively) were significantly more likely than black students (13.3%) to have considered attempting suicide. Hispanic and white female students (26.5% and 24.2%, respectively) were significantly more likely than black female students (17.2%), and white male students (14.9%) were significantly more likely than black male students (9.2%) to have considered attempting suicide. Prevalence of seriously considering suicide ranged from 14.6% to 21.9% (median: 18.4%) across state surveys and from 10% to 21% (median: 16%) across local surveys.

During the 12 months preceding the survey, 14.8% of students nationwide had made a specific plan to attempt suicide.

Overall, female students (17.7%) were significantly more likely than male students (11.8%) to have made a suicide plan. This significant sex difference was identified for all the racial/ethnic subpopulations and students in grades 9, 10, and 11.

Overall, white and Hispanic students (15.3% and 14.1%, respectively) were significantly more likely than black students (10.3%) to have made a suicide plan. White female students (18%) were significantly more likely than black female students (13%), and white male students (12.5%) were significantly more likely than black male students (7.5%) to have made a suicide plan.

Overall, students in grade 9 (16%) were significantly more likely than students in grade 12 (12.2%) to have made a suicide plan. Prevalence of having made a suicide plan ranged from 11.3% to 17.7% (median: 13.9%) across state surveys and from 7.9% to 16.9% (median: 13.3%) across local surveys.

Nationwide, 8.8% of students had attempted suicide >1 times during the 12 months preceding the survey. Female students (11.2%) were significantly more likely than male students (6.2%) to have attempted suicide. This significant sex difference was identified for white and Hispanic students and students in grades 9, 10, and 11.

Overall, Hispanic students (12.1%) were significantly more likely than black and white students (8.8% and 7.9%, respectively) to have attempted suicide. This significant racial/ethnic difference was identified for Hispanic female students.

Overall, students in grades 9, 10, and 11 (11%, 9.5%, and 8.3%, respectively) were significantly more likely than students in grade 12 (5.5%) to have attempted suicide. The percentage of students attempting suicide ranged from 6.3% to 13.4% (median: 8.6%) across state surveys and from 7.4% to 13% (median: 10.4%) across local surveys. Nationwide, 2.6% of students made a suicide attempt during the 12 months preceding the survey that resulted in an injury, poisoning, or overdose that had to be treated by a doctor or nurse.

Overall, students in grades 9 and 10 (3.2% and 3%, respectively) were significantly more likely than students in grade 12 (1.6%) to have made a suicide attempt that required medical attention. Prevalence of injurious suicide attempts varied fourfold from 1.2% to 4.6% (median: 2.5%) across state surveys and varied threefold from 1.7% to 5.7% (median: 3.4%) across local surveys.